Venetian blind



June 9, 1936.` A. c. woon 4 VENETIAN BLIND Filed May 29, v19:55

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Patented June 9,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .mmffl"amN Andrew C. Wood. Chicago, lll. mmm; (C. 3.5.1...

The present invention relates to Venetian -blinds and more particularly to the construction thereof whereby the cost of manufacture is reduced and maintenance and repair made easier. An object of the present invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction wherein the blind slats are loosely supported so that any slat masr be quickly removedand replaced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction wherein the stirrups for the slats are removably secured to the regulating tapes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction wherein a shade roller the blind.

A still further object is employed for raising and lowering of the present invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction wherein the operating cords are re'rnovably secured to enable ready disassembly of the blind for replacement of damaged slats andready assembly after repair.

` The invention vision of a Venetian stitching of the stirrups eliminated.

A yet further object has for a further object the problind construction wherein to the-regulating tapes is of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of regulating tapes and stirrups,

for Venetian blinds,l wherein the stirrups are attached to the tapes otherwise than by sewing, thus eliminating the need for a special sewing machine for the manufacture of such tapes as required at the present time.

Another and yet further object of the present invention is to improve trated in the accompanying Venetian blind construcother and further objects of the be understood from the accompanying drawing present invention are illusdrawing, and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is an elevational blind, fully opened, rand constructed in accordance with the principles Figure 2 is of the present invention.

an end elevational view of the blind,

looking at the left-hand end of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental vertical sectional view through a slat and its stirrup, and

showing the preferred manner of removably connecting the stirrup to the regulating tapes.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a modified manner of stirrup attachment.

Figure 5 is a fragmental view showing one man- Ill of such snap fasteners.

view of a' Venetian ner of removably securing an end of one of th operating cords about its support.

The drawing will now be explained.

The form of blind herein chosen to exemplify the present invention illustrates a header I of a window opening in which such a blind might be installed. Secured to the underside of the header I are brackets 2 which support an oscillatable cylindrical the member 3 is a bar oscillating the-member 3.

member 3. Attached to onevend of I having pull cords 6 and 6 secured in the ends of the bar provided respectively with handles 1 and and which are 8 for Depending from the cylindrical member 3 are a plurality of looped regulating Every one of the from the cylindrical member about such member ment therewith, `as 'I'hese looped tapes may wise as convenient.

Prior to the time tapes 9, three of is suspended that the tapes 9 are applied to the cylindrical member I, the tapes are equipped with a plurality of similar members of two-part separable snap fasteners.

the female portions These portions I0 intervals to vertically space II of the blind structure, and may be along the tapes so that, if desired, the

be arranged within the tapes,

the tapes 9 are supplied with are spaced at regular the slats staggered operating cords may and thus concealed from view.

Preferably For supporting the slats in position in the tapes 9, a plurality of fabric stirrups I2 are provided.

Every one of these stirrups I2 is equipped, near its ends, with the male members I3 of the twopart separable snap fasteners.

After the tapes 9 have been applied to the c'ylindrical member 3, and secured to such member by tacks or otherwise, the several by engagement of the male with the corresponding I0 in the tapes 9. The slats II loosely without being snapped into place members I3 thereof female members are then laid in the stirrups stirrups -are fastened in any manner to the stirrups. j

Prior to the time of been apertured as at assembly,

Il to provide openings the slats have through which the operating cords I5 may pass.

The operating cords cords,asdeslred. There I5 may be flat tapes or are two such cords illustrated in the drawing. The upper ends of the cords I5 are passed about the cylindrical mem?"- ber 3, andare angularly such member. For removably movable relatively t0 securing` theopy:ses

i5." .,sjiiifpuier fasteners illustrated in Figures eratlng cords I 5 to thel cylindrical member `3, female members B, of two-part separable snap fasteners may be secured to the cords near one of their extremities, while cooperating male members A maybe fastened to the cords I5 in such spaced relation from the adjacent extremities of the 'cords to enable the extremities to be passed about the cylindrical member 3 and the members A and B of thesnap `fastener connected together to secure the cords to the member 3. Fasteners includingthe male members I3 or 22land female members I may be employed, if desired.

Y The lower ends of the operating cords I5 are suitably fastened to a. shade roller I8, of a type commonly employed for window shades.

For concealing the shade roller I8, a casing i9, generally of box-like form is supported by the shade roller by means of suitable fittings attached to the inner ends of the casing I-S and in hooking relation with the extremities of the shade roller I8, as is common practice with installations of shade rollers. Handle means 20 may be attached to the casing I9 for ease in manipulation of the blind.

Figure 1 shows a. blind of the present invention in fully opened position. When it is desired to raise the blind, the handle 20 is grasped and ment so that the operating cords' I 5 may be wound about -the shade roller I8, and this continued until the blind has been raised to desired position. As the blind is raised, in the manner stated, the several slats II pile up on top of the casing I9 so that when the blind is in fully raised position all of the slats are nested in nat-wise relationship adjacent the cylindrical member 3. f.

To lower the blind, the handle 20 is grasped and pulled downwardly whereupon the shade roller I8 unwinds, thus lowering the screen. y

Whenever it is desired to change the angularity of theseveralslats II, with rpect to the horizontal, either one of the handles I or 8 is grasped andthe bar 4 rocked in such manner as to oscillate the cylindrical member 3 in .desired direcf tion. For instance, observing Figure '2, if it is desired to move the slats I I to a more nearly f 4r.horizontal position than that shown in the figure, 5o. the handle l would be grasped and pulled down-r "f i wardly, thus oscillating the cylindrical member 3 in clockwise direction. To increase the angularity of the slats,the handle 8 would be grasped and the "bar 4 and cylindrical member 3 oscillated in the opposite direction.

It will be observed that the Venetian blind in accordance is one wherein the parts may sembled, and is one wherein members'lmay be quickly applied to the several fabric tapes and stirrups, so that itis unnecessary to stitch or paste any of the parts together in ,operativeI relation.

The stirrups I2, when attached to the regulating tapesform pocketsin which the slats II lie and which pockets are oi' suiiicient depth to retaintheslats therein as the regulating tapes are adjusted to vary the angularity ofthe several slats with respect to the horizontal.

Instead of the snap fasteners, comprising male female I0 members, as described, for removably securing the' stirrups to the tapes, an-

form, A and B of separable snaplfastener employed..

construction of the with this invention be veryfrapidly asthe snap fastener most economical, as

.i a window header or the header of 4 and 5, and consist' of male members A and female members B.

v A male member A consists of a bottom disc 2I and an upstanding bulbous projection 22. A female member B consists of adapted to snap over the bulbous projection 22 of a male member A. i

When using snap fasteners A and B, it is unnecessary to sew the several members to the tapes and stirrups.' All that need be done is to punch holes in the tapes at properly spaced points, insert the projections 22 the outsides of the tapes, and also through holes punched in the stirrups. The female members B are then applied over the projections 22, thereby to the tapes. Such fasteners Figures 4 and 5. 'I'his manof'l the stirrups to the tapes is may be used for the tapes and stirrups, and a simple punch used for making the necessary holes. The fasteners may be purchased on the open market, and applied, without stitching.

If, however, it were desired ers A and B, without having the discs 2| exposed the discs could be readily stitched to the inside facesof the tapes, so that the projections 22 thereof might pass through holes in the several stirrups.

A still further The other ends 26 of the stirrups are punched to receive the projections 22 of snap fasteners A and B, and secured to the other run 2'Iv of the tape, by the female members B engaging the projections 22. This type of construction may be readily accomplished without the use of special machinery, as the stitching may be done on any sewing machine and any punch may be used for making the holes.

' Because of the fact that special machinery is required to stitch both endsof the stirrups to the tapes, such completed tapes are, at present, imported, as the volume of business in 'Venetian blind manufacture is insumcient to warrant the purchase, from abroad, of such special machinery.

The present invention provides a construction of Venetian blind tapes which may be carried out e by anyone having any standard sewing machine and punch. For that matter, the stitching might be done by hand. Should it become necessary to replace any of the slats of the blind of the present invention, all that is necessary to be done is to disconnect the operating cords I5 from the cylindrical member 3, by separating the snap fasteners, and withdrawing such cords from the damaged Slat or slats. Such damaged slats may be then removed and replaced by new ones, the operating cords then threaded through the slats and secured to the cylindrical member 3 in`the manner heretofore described, whereupon the screen is ready for use.

By means of the present/invention, it has been any kind of fabric material through such holes, from to utilize the fastenfound that Venetian blinds may be constructed very rapidly, as the amount of hand labor is ,reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, the regulating tapes and stirrups may be made of fabric material readily available in the market which may be bought in .suitable widths and lengths.

Instead of utilizing the basemember I, the brackets 2 might as well be fastened directly to SOm Other plurality of opening in which it is desired to install a Venetian 1 blind.

The invention has lbeen described herein more or less precisely as to details. yet itis to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts and improvements may be substituted, without departing from the spirit andv scope of the invention.

The invention 4is claimed as follows:

1. In a shade roller, regulating tapes, and a stirrups snap fastened to said tapes for supporting a plurality of slats loosely resting on said stirrups. f

2. In a Venetian blind. regulating tapes, and a plurality of slat stirrups snap fastened to said tapes for loosely supporting slats by said tapes.

3. In a Venetian blind including slats, regulating tapes, operating cords, and means removably supporting said slats in said regulating tapes; means removably connecting said operating cords to the blind supports whereby any slat may be removed for repair or replacement without disturbing other slats of the blind.

4. In a Venetian blind, of the class described. slat supporting and tilting means, and operating cord means concentrically arranged with respect to said iirst means. l

5. Slat supporting tapes for Venetian blinds having detachably secured slat supporting stirrups.

ANDREW C. WOOD. 

